The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has officially opened a new foot over bridge (FOB) on the Chennai-Bengaluru Highway (NH-48) near Christian Medical College’s (CMC) new campus in Puttuthakku village, Ranipet. This much-needed pedestrian facility was implemented to ensure safe crossing for the high number of patients, relatives, and hospital staff who frequent the campus, particularly after the recent opening of CMC’s new extension.
According to NHAI officials, the new bridge addresses a critical need to provide a safe crossing for pedestrians on one of the busiest highway stretches. The area is known for heavy traffic flow, and with a significant number of visitors to the CMC campus, the absence of a dedicated pedestrian crossing posed a considerable risk. Residents and users, particularly senior citizens and women, have welcomed the new footbridge, with added features such as lifts that make it more accessible. Initially, NHAI had considered constructing an underpass near the hospital to accommodate both vehicles and pedestrians. However, this plan was scrapped due to concerns over traffic congestion and the extended time frame for completion, which could have taken up to two years. Instead, the foot over bridge was fast-tracked to avoid additional disruption, especially for patients accessing healthcare services.
The footbridge has been installed in Puttuthakku village, which has been identified as one of the accident-prone black spots along the highway within Ranipet district. The new facility boasts 20 staircases on either side of the service lane, with shelters, lighting, and CCTV cameras in place for added security. Fencing on both sides ensures pedestrian safety by preventing accidental falls onto the carriageway. The bridge is also essential for those accessing nearby government schools, primary healthcare centres, and commercial establishments. Previously, pedestrians had to walk at least 500 metres to reach the nearest crossing at Puttuthakku junction, significantly increasing the risk of accidents.
NHAI has been working towards enhancing the safety of road users along key national highways. On average, the authority maintains a standard of constructing a foot-over bridge or vehicular underpass every 1.5 kilometres along the highway to ensure safe crossing points, particularly at high-traffic areas such as food joints or key intersections. The 148-kilometre stretch between Krishnagiri and Walajapet currently has 17 underpasses. The addition of the foot-over bridge at Puttuthakku marks another step in NHAI’s efforts to improve road safety across Tamil Nadu.
